Delivery catheter

Abstract

A medical catheter for the transvascular deployment of a collapsaible medial device such as a filter has a tubular body formed by an inner tubular core surrounded by an outer thin-walled tube which is fixed to the core. The outer thin-walled tube extends outwardly beyond a distal end of the core to form a fixed thin-walled medical device embracing pod. The filter is carried on a guidewire which is slidably engagable within a central lumen of the core and the filter can be collapsed against the guidewire for loading within the pod. With the filter thus loaded within the pod the distal end of the catheter can be maneuvered through a patient's vascular system to a desired deployment site where the filter is discharged from the pod allowing the filter to expand within the blood vessel for use filtering blood flowing through the blood vessel.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A delivery system for transvascular deployment of a medical device comprising: 
       a medical catheter assembly comprising:  
       a catheter including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including an elongate tubular body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the second portion extending from the distal end portion of the first portion and forming a tubular pod capable of receiving a medical device, and  
       a deployer movable through the pod and coupled to the medical device to assist in moving the medical device between a stored position within the pod and an in-use position external of the pod,  
       the pod having a maximum wall thickness that is less than a minimum wall thickness of the distal end portion of the tubular body, and the pod having a greater flexibility than the distal end portion of the tubular body; and  
       a separate loading device which is operable to collapse the medical device from the expanded in-use position to a collapsed position for reception within the nod, wherein the loading device comprises a funnel having an enlarged inlet end and a narrowed outlet end, the outlet end being engageable with the pod.  
     
     
       2. A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the funnel comprises a main support having a funnel shaped bore and a cylindrical portion formed by a loading tube projecting from the main support. 
     
     
       3. A system as claimed in  claim 2  in which a cone angle of the bore is between 15° and 65°. 
     
     
       4. A system as claimed in  claim 3  in which the cone angle is between 35° and 45°. 
     
     
       5. A system as claimed in  claim 2  in which the main support is formed from Perspex and the loading tube from polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       6. A system as claimed in  claim 2  in which the loading tube is mounted on a spigot at the outlet end of the funnel. 
     
     
       7. A medical catheter pack for a delivery system for transvascular deployment of a medical device comprising: 
       a delivery system for transvascular deployment of a medical device comprising:  
       a medical catheter assembly comprising:  
       a catheter including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including an elongate tubular body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the second portion extending from the distal end portion of the first portion and forming a tubular pod capable of receiving a medical device, and  
       a deployer movable through the pod and coupled to the medical device to assist in moving the medical device between a stored position within the pod and an in-use position external of the pod,  
       the pod having a maximum wall thickness that is less than a minimum wall thickness of the distal end portion of the tubular body, and the pod having a greater flexibility than the distal end portion of the tubular body; and  
       a separate loading device which is operable to collapse the medical device from the expanded in-use position to a collapsed position for reception within the pod,  
       the pack comprising the delivery system and a tray configured to releasably hold the pod of the catheter and the loading device in a cooperative juxtaposition on the tray, wherein the tray has a liquid retaining bath formed by a recess in the tray, the bath having a depth sufficient to accommodate, in a totally submerged state, the pod of the catheter and the medical device for submerged loading of the medical device into the pod.  
     
     
       8. A pack as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the tray has a catheter holding channel communicating with the bath, the channel defining a pathway around the tray which supports the catheter on the tray. 
     
     
       9. A pack as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the catheter is held within the channel by a number of retainers spaced-apart along the channel, each retainer comprising two or more associated projections which project inwardly from opposite side walls of the channel adjacent a mouth of the channel, the projections being resiliently deformable for snap engagement of the catheter within the channel behind the projections. 
     
     
       10. A pack as claimed in  claim 8  wherein a ramp is provided at an end of the channel communicating with the bath to direct a distal end of the catheter towards a bottom of the bath. 
     
     
       11. A pack as claimed in  claim 10  including a step adjacent the channel configured to support the pod above the bottom of the bath. 
     
     
       12. A pack as claimed in  claim 7  wherein means is provided within the bath for supporting the distal end of the catheter above the bottom of the bath. 
     
     
       13. A pack as claimed in  claim 7  wherein a recess provided within the bath supports the loading device for engagement with the pod to guide the medical device into the pod. 
     
     
       14. A pack as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said recess is located in a side wall of the bath for reception of a funnel with an outlet pipe of the funnel directed towards the channel for engagement with the pod of the catheter. 
     
     
       15. A medical catheter assembly for the transvascular deployment of a medical device, the assembly comprising: 
       a catheter including a first portion and a second portion,  
       the first portion including an elongate tubular body having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a helically wound spring forming an inner tubular core encased within a concentric tubular outer sheath which is fixed to the core, and  
       the second portion formed by a portion of the sheath extending from the distal end portion of the first portion and forming a tubular pod capable of receiving a medical device; and  
       a deployer movable through the pod and coupled to the medical device to assist in moving the medical device between a stored position within the pod and an in-use position external of the pod,  
       the pod having a maximum wall thickness that is less than a minimum wall thickness of the distal end portion of the tubular body, and the pod having a greater flexibility than the distal end portion of the tubular body.  
     
     
       16. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the pod is integrally formed with the tubular body. 
     
     
       17. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the pod has sufficient axial rigidity to allow retraction of the medical device directly into the pod. 
     
     
       18. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the wall thickness of the pod is less than or equal to 0.004 inches (0.1 mm). 
     
     
       19. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 15  in which the tubular outer sheath is manufactured from a relatively low friction material. 
     
     
       20. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the tubular outer sheath incorporates a friction reducing agent. 
     
     
       21. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the tubular outer sheath has a composite friction reducing structure. 
     
     
       22. A delivery system for transvascular deployment of a medical device, the system comprising a catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 15  in combination with a separate loading device which is operable to collapse the medical device from the expanded in-use position to a collapsed position for reception within the pod. 
     
     
       23. A system as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the loading device comprises means for radially compressing the medical device. 
     
     
       24. A medical catheter pack for a delivery system of the type claimed in  claim 22 , the pack comprising the delivery system and a tray configured to releasably hold the pod of the catheter and the loading device in a cooperative juxtaposition on the tray. 
     
     
       25. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the deployer includes a guidewire. 
     
     
       26. A method for deploying a medical device at a desired location in a vasculature, the method comprising the steps of: 
       providing a medical catheter, the catheter comprising an elongate tubular portion having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the tubular portion including a pod capable of receiving the medical device; and a deployer engageable with the medical device;  
       providing a loading device for collapsing the medical device from an expanded in-use position to a collapsed position for reception within the pod, the loading device having an inlet end and an outlet end;  
       engaging the outlet end of the loading device within the pod;  
       engaging the medical device with the deployer;  
       retracting the deployer proximally through the tubular portion, to draw the medical device through the loading device into the pod, thereby collapsing the medical device;  
       disengaging the loading device from the pod;  
       inserting the catheter into the vasculature and advancing the catheter through the vasculature until the pod is at the desired location;  
       deploying the medical device at the desired location.  
     
     
       27. A method as claimed in  claim 26  wherein the medical device is deployed by moving the tubular portion proximally relative to the deployer. 
     
     
       28. A method as claimed in  claim 26  including the step of withdrawing the tubular portion from the vasculature after deployment of the medical device. 
     
     
       29. A method as claimed in  claim 26  wherein the deployer includes a guidewire. 
     
     
       30. A delivery system for transvascular deployment of a medical device comprising: 
       a catheter assembly comprising:  
       a catheter including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including an elongate tubular body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the second portion extending from the distal end portion of the first portion and forming a tubular pod capable of receiving a medical device; and  
       a deployer movable through the pod and coupled to the medical device to assist in moving the medical device between a stored position within the pod and an in-use position external of the pod,  
       the pod having a maximum wall thickness that is less than a minimum wall thickness of the distal end portion of the tubular body; and  
       a separate loading device which is operable to collapse the medical device from an expanded in-use Position to a collapsed position for reception within a pod, the loading device comprising a funnel having an enlarged inlet end and a narrowed outlet end, the outlet end being engageable with the pod.  
     
     
       31. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the tubular body has an inner tubular core encased within a concentric tubular outer sheath which is fixed to the core, the sheath extending from a distal end of the core to form the pod. 
     
     
       32. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 31  in which the tubular outer sheath is manufactured from a relatively low friction material. 
     
     
       33. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the pod is integrally formed with the tubular body. 
     
     
       34. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the wall thickness of the pod is less than or equal to 0.004 inches (0.1 mm). 
     
     
       35. A medical catheter pack for a delivery system of the type claimed in  claim 30 , the pack comprising the delivery system and a tray configured to releasably hold the pod of the catheter and the loading device in a cooperative juxtaposition on the tray. 
     
     
       36. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 30  wherein the deployer includes a guidewire. 
     
     
       37. A delivery system for transvascular deployment of a medical device comprising: 
       a catheter assembly comprising:  
       a catheter including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including an elongate tubular body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the second portion extending from the distal end portion of the first portion and forming a tubular pod capable of receiving a medical device; and  
       a deployer movable through the pod and coupled to the medical device to assist in moving the medical device between a stored position within the pod and an in-use position external of the pod,  
       the pod having a greater flexibility than the distal end portion of the tubular body; and  
       a separate loading device which is operable to collapse the medical device from an expanded in-use position to a collapsed position for reception within a pod, the loading device comprising a funnel having an enlarged inlet end and a narrowed outlet end, the outlet end being engageable with the pod.  
     
     
       38. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 37  wherein the tubular body has an inner tubular core encased within a concentric tubular outer sheath which is fixed to the core, the sheath extending from a distal end of the core to form the pod. 
     
     
       39. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 38  in which the tubular outer sheath is manufactured from a relatively low friction material. 
     
     
       40. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 37  wherein the pod is integrally formed with the tubular body. 
     
     
       41. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 37  wherein the wall thickness of the pod is less than or equal to 0.004 inches (0.1 mm). 
     
     
       42. A medical catheter pack for a delivery system of the type claimed in  claim 37 , the pack comprising the delivery system and a tray configured to releasably hold the pod of the catheter and the loading device in a cooperative juxtaposition on the tray. 
     
     
       43. A catheter assembly as claimed in  claim 37  wherein the deployer includes a guidewire.